Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics What brand of rings and bases are these?

Just took these off of a Marlin 1895 . . . what brand are they? They appear to be very well made. Thanks!

Warne Premier. Early mid-90s. I'll take them!

Kimber of Oregon. I have two sets of them on Mausers, except the screw cap is a lever. they have held Zero for about thirty years.

That would be a difference.

Edit, darned if I know.



Warne was producing these exact appearing rings, with absolute certainty, in late 1994 when KofO was 3 years history and Kimber of America was operating. I have a set, straight off the production line, shown bellow center... They'd been shipped with a Kimber Rifle of the period. Nope, mine are not the same. The ones in the post above have a flat top base. I think those shown above to be even later, as they have a recoil lug, or at least the bases have the slot for one.

There's other variations too. The outer two pair are later and show a partial (right) or full (left) recoil lug which later evolved into the Warne recoil key of today...

The center one's here (without a doubt from late 1994 Warne), for use with a radiused mount or receiver such as a Kimber of America (1994) model 82, may be exactly as previously marked KoO rings.

Curious, On Kimber sporterized Mausers?

Warne started in-house production of the rings and bases in like '93 or '94. The similar appearing rings previously marketed as Kimber of Oregon, were, to the best of my knowledge, made elsewhere, not at the Kimber plants.

Warne owned Kimber of Oregon.

The rings were designed by Leonard Brownell. KOO mfg. them.

The KOO Models 82 and 84 were designed by Jack Warne.......

The rings do look just like the Brownell designed rings, but I have only seen original KOO rings, as designed by Brownell, with levers on them. Not slotted hex nuts......

Correct. I had Bob Chatfield-Taylor's M70/270 built by Len Brownell. They had these rings. The rifle was built back in the late 50's IIRC, a long time before there was Kimber.

Those were nicely made rings and have had several sets. In fact I have one ring just like the nickel ones posted by Oregontripper. Unfortunately the second ring needed to make a complete set was cracked by the brutal force of my 7mm-08 Remington Mountain Rifle. (And that probably explains why Warne rings are now chunkier.) I have used the matte blued QRs from that era on a 340 Weatherby for many years without any problem however.

Fun stuff.

Curious to the pre-Kimber, wayy pre-Warne rings Bob mentioned, do they have a recoil lug? I'm of the opinion that was Jack's innovation to the original design, which was certainly Brownell. I don't think the KoO rings had any lug. ???

I'll reiterate, the center rings in my pic, which are very much like the OPs, are Warne manufactured in 1994. Near Christmas, 1994, Greg gave me a Kimber of America model 82 Super rifle, told me to ask Jack for rings, Jack told shop foreman to give me some, still got 'em. Anyways, that's the story! That rifle had a reverse Kimber scroll on the receiver and shot a 10-shot group at 0.28" at 50m with Elly Tenex, not by me though. In maybe late '95, it went away for $700. Ouch. Jack was a fine respectable good humored man and a skilled craftsman and designer. I had the pleasure to work with him setting up the facility where the Mauser rifles were sporterized in '95-96. I were the handyman! Got'er set up just before Christmas, hence the gift and a heck of a raise to $10 from $7!

Also, I don't believe KoO (pre-1991) did the manufacture of the KoO rings, it was done elsewhere. Possibly, under Brownell' s oversight, I don't know but there were not folks making rings at the KoO plant. But that was long ago.

Klik, did the ring break at the obvious weak spot above the side clamp? I just noticed that weak spot earlier. Those are Warne Premiers, later than '95 I'd guess.

Oh, too. The center rings of mine, and the OPs are very nicely polished as were the KoO rings. Machined from solid stock whereas the later ones shown are cast, I think...

Other sources indicate they were investment cast.

Those are recalled Weaver... They secrete acid from the screws into your action.
Lucky you, I'm a certified disposal site.
PM address and I'll forward you documentation and shipping sprocket.

I could likely be talked out of the silver set, they're the chit on 7-08s.


Another bit o'trivia, re: the single top screw, between the four sets I have, 3 Warne and 1 KoO, there's three different threads/sizes.

In spring '95, they were experimenting with the new castings vs solid stock...

Howsabout those recoil lugs?

Thanks for all the info.

Mine have a partial recoil lug, similar to the set on the right in oregontripper's pic. So, if I would like to find bases for a different firearm, what do I need to be looking for?

Once again, thanks.

KoO purchased rights and mfg. the rings in Oregon....

Warne Premier bases. They've been out of production for quite some time. I'll follow up later with some model numbers from the packsges I have. Never seen bases with the notched fronts like you have. I wonder if Talley bases have the same dovetail?

The originals were investment cast......

Yup!

Gentlemen, Warne it is. I still have two sets of the lugged bases in my good stuff stash in the garage and they are in "Warne" packaging. As I recall, there may have been financial problems and Warne reorganized under his name. My records show buying one of the rifles so equipped in '93 with a ? It could have been early '94.

Anyway, same litter of cats. They are way better than the Warne stuff that fits Weaver bases. I'm in the process of changing those I have out for others. I have to correct the thirty year thing to twenty.

jack

True dat.


Here's an earlier Premier without a slot and a later premier with one, it's between the blurrs.



Here's some reference for mounts. A WTB ad in the Classifieds may get you what you need. Regardless of rarity, whatch out for the guys wanting $$$$$$ for 'em. They should be $20-25. I'd be interested in your Marlin bases if you wished to part with 'em.







Yep, guess that's the deal. Investment Cast
1st ---> then tried Sintered too. Thanks.

My Kimber of Oregon Rings are like this, no lever.


The Warne site has a very nice history section. Jack acquired the design from L Brownell for Kimber of Oregon. Jack started Warne in 1991 and sold the company in 2001. The packages I have of Premiers have the same address as where they were in '95. Also seems to indicate the KoO rings were produced in house, must been trippin'.

Always a pleasure to discuss these and appreciate the lessons.